Unique pair of large hand-painted advertising signs for Clos de Vougeot, a famous French vineyard in the Burgundy wine region. The panels show a bunch of purple grapes (Detail 1) and a bunch of green grapes (Detail 2) respectively, each on a leafy branch and with a separate twig detail and inscription lower right. Each central image is surrounded by beveled mahogany molding and an outer painted decorative border panel also enclosed by a molding. The renderings of grapes are detailed and volumetric. The decorative designs and lettering are highlighted with gold paint. The bottom border of each panel is inscribed “Clos de Vougeot” in an Art Nouveau typeface on a bright green background, bordered in gold. The upper border design incorporates cornucopias of grapes with vines hanging from them, a grape leaf and a crown.

Description

On either side of the lower border of the painting are ribbons commemorating “Medaille d’Or” (Gold Medal) awards for vintages of Premier Cru wines. On the painting of purple grapes the ribbons are labeled “1er Cru/ 1923/ 1929/ 1931” on the left and “Medaille/ D’Or/ Lyons 1929/ Paris 1931” on the right. On the painting of green grapes the ribbons are labeled “1er Cru/ 1924/ 1926/ 1929” and “Medaille/ D’Or/ Bordeaux 1926/ Besançon 1929” respectively. “1er Cru” — Premier Cru — translates as “First Growth,” the term applied to the second-highest classification level of Burgundy wine vineyards, beneath the highest level, Grand Cru. Based on the dates of the awards, presumably these panels were painted in the 1930s.

Clos de Vougeot is a venerable French winery in the Bourgogne (Burgundy) region with a history dating back to the 12th century, when monks began producing wine in the Château Clos de Vougeot. Today, the vineyards of Clos de Vougeot are split among several dozen owners, and produce one of the finest Grand Cru reds, having held Grand Cru status since 1937. Vougeot Premier Cru wines are also still produced.

Condition: Generally very good with the usual overall light toning, wear, handling. Some minor indentations to the wood panels. Some of the paint with a bit of age craquelure.